


Lullaby

by pxlblack



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1950s, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 04:48:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16737388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pxlblack/pseuds/pxlblack
Summary: December 1951. As the Weasley family prepare themselves for Christmas, a conflicted Ginny finds that she can’t help thinking about her brother’s girlfriend.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello thank u for clicking on this! just a heads up to say that the language is REALLY 1950s and dated lol because i've been reading a lot of enid blyton. i hope u like it though, it's just a couple of chapters of ginny hermione fluff <3

I

At four o’clock, it was getting dark. It had been a splendid day, Ginny thought, especially seeing as it was late December. The sun had been shining and the Weasley family had put on their coats and scarves and taken their lunch in the fields nearest their house. It was the late afternoon, a day before Christmas, and everyone was preparing the house for the arrival of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. They were school friends, mainly of Ron’s, who had come for the holidays. 

The sun was setting beautifully when they arrived, the sky a pale purple above the dew-darkened grass of the fields. They were together, Harry with his luggage and some of Hermione’s, lagging behind. Hermione looked different, older somewhat. This was strange, for Ginny had only not seen her for the month that they had been away from school. Ginny watched her as she ran in their direction, dropping her trunk. ‘Ron!’ She cried, flinging her arms around him. Startled, he staggered slightly and then hugged her back tightly. Ginny watched them with a vague jealousy. _Of course,_ she thought to herself, _of course I would be jealous- Dean is away with his family this Christmas._ I don’t have anyone to embrace. Soon after, Hermione pulled away and hugged her. Her hair smelt of lavender. Ginny shivered.

Harry approached at a slower speed, still carrying his belongings. He looked equally enthusiastic about seeing his friends again, and when he reached the two siblings he also dropped his luggage and bounded towards them.

‘I say, old brick!’ Harry clapped a hand on his best friends shoulder good-naturedly. ‘You’re looking well! And you, Ginny,’ he looked at her, eyes shining. ‘You look fine too!’

‘I’m very well thank you, Harry!’ She replied, laughing as he drew her into a hug. ‘I hope you’re well.’

‘Great, thanks!’

‘C’mon, Harry, Hermione,’ Ron said, his arms now around Harry’s shoulder. ‘Let us get some of your bags, and we’ll help you to settle in.’

‘I must bathe before I can do anything else!’ Hermione announced, setting down her belongings on the table. ‘Gin, will you help me?’

-

‘I must say, it’s ever so lucky that we can have hot baths now isn’t it?’ Hermione said cheerfully as she lathered herself in soap. ‘I remember during the war- when I was a little girl, of course- we barely even had enough _water_ to go around. Don’t you remember those days, Ginny?’

Ginny giggled, dipping her fingers into the water. She was right- it was hot. ‘Barely. I was five when it broke out- you were six. It’s not like we have much to go on.’

Hermione shrugged indifferently, leaning back against the tub. ‘I remember.’

When stood up, and Ginny felt a stabbing sort of pain-pleasure in her lower region. Immediately she recognised this as a reaction to Hermione’s rather dramatic exposure of her body. She hadn’t even waited for the bath to drain- simply stood up stark naked and started towelling herself off.

Ginny had always been aware of how beautiful she was. She thought about it most days. But she hadn’t ever seen her _naked._ This was a completely new level of beauty.

It was all she could not do to stare. But it was so difficult, and her eyes kept on drifting back to the swell of Hermione’s breasts. There was a dampness in her knickers.

‘You can look,’ she said softly. There was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes as they caught Ginny’s. ‘I won’t tell.’

’N-no, it’s not- I wasn’t-’ Ginny stammered, her cheeks flooding with red. ‘Hermione-’

‘-Pass me my brown stockings, will you? They’re on the floor next to you.’

‘I-’

‘Gin, it’s fine.’ Hermione smiled, slightly impatiently. ‘I don’t care. We’ll talk about this later if you’d like. But right now may I have my stockings? I’m getting rather chilly.’

‘Sure.’ She mumbled and handed them to her. ‘I need to go.’

-

When Fleur arrived during dinner she glided into the room, her white-blonde hair escaping in tendrils from under her scarf as she hung her long coat up on the rack by the door. ‘'Appy Christmas Eve! ‘Ow is everybody?’

A collective murmur of assent spread through the dining room. ‘Did anyone accompany you here, dear?’ Mrs Weasley asked politely, ladling a large spoonful of peas and potatoes onto a plate.

‘ _Non,_ ’ Fleur dismissively. ‘I travel alone.’

‘I say!’ Percy put down his knife and fork, shaking his head disapprovingly. ‘That’s hardly proper! Did anyone comment?’

‘Eet was _fine,_ thank you, Percy.’ She made a face at him, insinuating that she wished to end the conversation. He nodded stiffly. ‘ _Où est Bill_?’

Ginny made eye contact with Harry, who was trying to stifle his laughter and failing miserably. She giggled. Fred and George managed to lighten the mood considerably with their jokey crackers to which everyone responded positively (aside from Percy, who continued to grumble about anything that he could think of). Soon enough, plates were cleared, stomachs were filled, and everyone sat back with a sleepy contentedness that often comes after a large meal.

‘All right!’ Mrs Weasley clapped her hands together and began to collect the dishes. ‘Time for bed, everybody.’

-

‘So,’ Hermione was sitting up in her bed, a finger twirling in her hair. She was looking at Ginny, who was reading, intently. ‘Are you going to tell me what this afternoon was all about?’

‘It was nothing, really.’ Ginny said uncomfortably. ‘Please, can we forget about it?’

‘No.’ She grinned. ‘What’s been going on with you today? You’ve been weird around me, Gin. I jolly well hope I haven’t done anything wrong. Have I hurt you or something?’

‘ _No!_ ’ She replied quickly. ‘No, of course not. I just… I just- I don’t know what’s going on.’

Hermione frowned. ‘Well, of course you do. You’re just not telling me. Come on- I won’t tell.’

‘You’ll laugh.’

‘Whatever it is, I promise I won’t laugh.’

‘Or get angry.’

‘-Or get angry.’

Ginny looked at the floor fiercely- she could feel her cheeks heating up. ‘I don’t like boys.’

There was a silence, and Ginny didn’t dare to look up. Finally, Hermione spoke again. ‘Well! You mean- not at all? You’ve been going steady with Dean Thomas for _months_ now.’

Ginny shrugged. ‘It’s a distraction. I mean- he is.’

Hermione’s eyebrows furrowed and she moved closer to her. When she spoke again, her voice was gentler. Quieter. ‘From what, Gin?’

Ginny stuck her tongue in her cheek. They both knew what was coming next, but Ginny still couldn’t bear to say it. She felt it rather abnormal to feel attraction in such a way.

‘From- from girls.’

Ginny held her breath and waited for a response, but it never came. After half an hour, she turned around in bed to blow out the candle and looked at the other girl. Her eyes were closed- she was asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

II

When Ginny woke up the next morning, Hermione’s bed was empty.

For the first five minutes, she forgot that it was Christmas Day completely. She felt a mild annoyance that Hermione had completely ignored her after what she had said the previous night, but part of her was also grateful for it — what if she had taken it the complete wrong way? She was one of Ginny’s only girl-friends. Hermione couldn’t hate her. She just _couldn’t_.

Slowly, she got up and got dressed, remembering the conversation that had taken place the night before. _Why_ had she been so _stupid_? It was _wrong_ to feel such things. She shouldn’t have had to bring Hermione into it.

Shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts, she decided to stop thinking about it. It was Christmas _Day,_ for goodness sakes. It was a time for _family —_ not frivolous crushes on your brother’s girlfriend that were bound to only last a couple of days.

Which it was. Just an innocent crush.

-

Harry, Hermione and the Weasley family were all in downstairs when Ginny entered. It was a frosty morning — a perfect Christmas Day — the sky was cloudy, but not dark with icy flecks of snow falling gently onto the white bed outside the window.

Everyone looked content. Bill and Fleur were sitting loved-up in a corner together, next to Fred and George who were sniggering into their mugs. Percy sat at the table alone, drinking coffee and reading a thick book, his horn-rimmed glasses sliding down his nose. Mr and Mrs Weasley and Charlie were standing by the sink as Mrs Weasley stirred a large pan of hot milk over the stove. And finally Harry, Hermione and Ron sat on a large sofa chatting with each other. Ginny looked at them fondly before joining them. She noticed this year that Hermione, like Harry and the rest of the family, had a Christmas sweater with a giant ‘H’ imprinted on the front in mustard yellow.

‘Ginny!’ Harry exclaimed, smiling broadly. ‘Merry Christmas!’

‘Thanks!’ she replied. ‘You too, Harry. How long have you all been downstairs for?’

Ron shrugged. ‘Me and Harry have been up since eight o’clock, and Hermione came down just an hour before you did.’

‘Sorry I didn’t wake you,’ Hermione said apologetically. ‘You looked so peaceful… I thought it would be mean of me to do so.’

‘Don’t worry about it.’ Ginny replied, sitting down next to Ron.

‘So, Ginny’s _finally_ up.’ Bill said, grinning from his comfortable sofa seat. Ginny glared at him jokingly. ‘Mum, shall we do presents now?’

The Christmas tree was positively drowning in presents of all shapes and sizes. Everyone gathered around in a circle, the air thick with excitement. Charlie stood by the tree, throwing presents out at every angle to everybody.

Ginny’s present to Hermione was a pink scent in a small glass bottle, which she was very pleased with. Percy had received books from everyone but the twins, who proudly watched as he unwrapped — to his horror — a large packet of itching powder. Hermione’s present to Ron was a grainy picture of herself, him and Harry in the snow together, completed with a golden frame. She felt a pang of jealousy looking at the picture and seeing their broad, open smiles. Charlie’s gift to Mr Weasley was a silver pocket watch and Fred and George bought Mrs Weasley the autobiography of her favourite actor Gilderoy Lockheart, ‘Magical Me’ (she was very pleased).

‘Gin, open my one,’ Hermione said, handing her a small square present. Ginny slid her thumbs over the shiny packaging as she tried to imagine what it could be. She tore at the paper and unwrapped it quickly, revealing a small cardboard box. Opening it, a little snow globe slid out. It was breathtakingly beautiful — a fairy stood inside on her toes, arms outstretched in a ballerina position.

‘Oh, Hermione… _’_ Ginny whispered. ‘Thank you. She’s _beautiful_.’

-

The rest of the day was a jolly event filled with cheer and laughter. The lunch, as expected, was a marvel, kudos to Mrs Weasley — piles and piles of roasted potatoes, bowls of stuffing, sausages in gravy, black pudding, mounds of brussel sprouts that lay untouched on the edge of the dining table, and of course the large brown turkey that lay glistening in the centre.

After a delicious meal, the family set out on a brisk afternoon walk. Hermione and Ron meandered behind, glove in glove, boots crunching in the snow. Ginny tried not to look behind her, but she felt a stab of jealousy again.

‘Are you alright, Ginny?’ Harry asked, approaching her. His cheeks were ruddy in the cold and his dark hair was glistening with snowflakes. ‘Not feeling left out, I hope?’

Ginny had to laugh at that. ‘I say, Harry,’ she grinned. ‘You’d be the _last_ person to ask that, I should think! How’re you coping, with your best friends being in a couple?’

‘It’s alright,’ Harry shook his head fondly, glancing back at them. ‘They’re not too bad, and we’re all friends when it comes down to it. They’d never jeopardise their friendship over a relationship.’

Ginny frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

Harry shrugged. ‘Well, they were good friends first. They’re happy as a couple, but they value their friendship — _my_ friendship, too — over a romantic relationship, I would guess.’

-

As night fell, people gradually headed off to bed. Hermione went up, and to save the awkwardness of having to see her undress, Ginny waited fifteen minutes before cleaning her teeth and going to the bedroom. To her surprise, when she entered the room the curtains were drawn and Hermione was in bed. Silently, Ginny undressed and got into bed in the darkness.

‘Can we talk about last night?’ Hermione asked in a small voice.

‘-I can’t stop thinking about you.’ Ginny whispered. ‘I just… I see you with Ron and it- well, it makes me think about what it would be like if I were a boy. Maybe we would be together. I know it probably sounds truly horrific to you. You’re not like me. You’re- you’re normal. I’m sorry. I understand if you’re absolutely disgusted by me.’

When Hermione responded, she was even quieter. ‘Do you not see the way I look at Ron? I _am_ like you.’

Ginny could feel her heart in her throat. ‘What do you mean?’

She could hear Hermione shift in her bed uncomfortably. ‘When I look at Ron, I am looking at somebody that I love dearly. Ron is one of my eldest friends and I couldn’t bear to live without him- or Harry. But…’ she sighed. ‘But the attraction isn’t there. It’s with you.’

‘Are you trying to trick me?’

Hermione sighed impatiently. She was quiet for around a minute, and suddenly she climbed out of her bed and into Ginny’s. Her heart felt like it was about to hammer out of her chest.

‘You- you really care for me?’ Ginny said finally.

‘Yes.’

‘But last night- last night you didn’t-’

‘I was scared.’

‘But it’s wrong.’

There was a long silence that followed. Ginny could hear Hermione’s soft breathing from the bed, and a creaking as she turned on her side to speak more clearly. ‘I don’t think it is.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean what I said. I don’t think there is anything immoral about you having feelings for me- or me having feelings for you.’

‘But- but what would everybody think?’

‘What about this?’ Hermione whispered, her slender fingers finding Ginny’s cheek and stroking it gently. ‘Do you think it’s wrong?’

‘No, but…’

‘What about this, then?’ Her hands trailed down to her neck, fingers tracing her collarbones. There were goosebumps on Ginny’s skin and she wished that it Hermione could touch her all night long.

‘No…’ She mumbled, her breath ragged.

‘What about this?’ Hermione said, before pressing her lips against Ginny’s. Her heart was pounding as she leaned closer, arms locking around her waist. Her lips were so impossibly soft, so unlike Dean’s, whose kisses were rough and unromantic. Ginny opened her mouth against Hermione’s, who moaned gently. The slow kisses quickly turned frantic and passionate as their courage built and their hands explored more areas of skin. It was unlike anything Ginny had ever done, but surely something that felt so good couldn’t possibly be wrong.

Because it felt so natural.

‘Merry Christmas, Ginny.’

‘Merry Christmas, Hermione.’


End file.
